Greetings yachties,

In this issue:

Jules Verne Trophy – Code Orange

4 My Planet

Des Top News

Latest Scam

Amended notice of race 33rd Americas Cup

V8 Cat

Scuttlebutt Key West 2010

Bugatti Veyron v McLaren F1 – Drag Race

Tasman Trespasser – where is he now?

Fairline Targa 58

Cheech & Chong up in smoke

Cork Crew make land

Russell Coutts talks to Valencia Sailing

Atlantic Riders

Jessica Watson – Where is she now?

Earth Quakes

All you can drink – BBC

The wing goes up & first sail in Valencia

Enjoy

Code Orange pour le maxi Banque Populaire V

4myplanet 35N35’6 06W08’5 Course 247 ° on the Canary Islands! hihihih:) Speed 10 kn. Sounds good my friend! (apparent wind speed 15 knots …) Salinity 37.58413 (is Atlantic saltier? or is it that I’m in sardines back corner? LOL) Temperature 17.91400 (to 20 ° I wash …) Since the bay of Malaga and I left you yesterday evening, life was hard aboard 4myplanet. When you look at the trace of the vessel does not believe that I have tried to write a message, just that it was (you will forgive the expression) a brothel monster I spent the night sleeping for every 5 to 10 min (about three times …). As I feel a sudden fatigue and know that I risk losing my lucidity, I head for the coast of Morocco where he is on my card a lot less traffic which  allow me to sleep 30 minutes in a row. Naps of this type are in an uncomfortable position on the bench of my desk to be sure of being awakened by an aching

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Watch  Out For This Scam!

Police say that the gang  usually is
comprised of four members,
adult and three younger ones.

While  the three younger ones, all appearing
sweet and innocent, divert  their ‘mark’ (or
intended  target) with a show of friendliness,
the fourth – the eldest – sneaks in from
behind the person’s back to expertly rifle
through his or her pocket or purse for any
valuables.

Be on the alert!

SNG issues 33rd America’s Cup Sailing Instructions and amended Notice of Race

Société Nautique de Genève has issued the Sailing Instructions and the amended 33rd America’s Cup Notice of Race.

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Images by Richard Langdon.

Despite idyllic sunshine which bathed the waters off Key West for the entire day, the first two races on the Melges 32 course turned out to be a tricky ones for the tacticians, due mainly to the patchy and shifting breeze which never managed to struggle into double digit velocity. Consistency was a rare commodity throughout the fleet, with all but overnight leader Rod Jabin on Ramrod, clocking up at least one big score. Jabin however appears to have started this regatta on the same form which saw him edge victory in the Gold Cup in Fort Lauderdale at the end of last year. Two solid third places from today’s racing sees him top the leaderboard tonight, three points clear of last year’s Key West winner, Jeff Ecklund on Star.

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Shaun departed Australian this morning – Day 1

Wednesday, January 20, 2010 Posted in Rush Labs

Shaun has departed Australia and is now approximately 20km or 10Nm off the east coast of Australia. He left a tweet around 2 hrs ago and called on the satellite phone to check in for the evening. Shaun is already experiencing a NE headwind and if you follow the Live Tracking you will notice that as he rests the wind is pushing him in a SW direction. Shaun has made an excellent start and we are hoping for favourable conditions overnight. One of the most challenging aspects of a Tasman crossing is the departure as the wind and currents may work against you actually forcing you back on to land.

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Exhausted and running on adrenaline, eight of the Cork crew who transferred to California when their yacht ran aground in the Java Sea on Wednesday night have arrived at Nongsa Point Marina, Batam, Indonesia, to an emotional welcome from fellow crew members.

Visibly moved, some in tears, the eight arrived wearing California team t-shirts, given to them by their hosts after leaving Cork with just the clothes they were wearing.

California and her precious cargo crossed the finish line for Race 5 at 1721 local time (1021 GMT) and has joined Cape Breton Island who took line honours in the race, Spirit of Australia, who were second, and third placed Jamaica Lightning Bolt and will now wait for the rest of the fleet before all nine boats head to Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore, on Saturday 23 January.

The next few days will allow the Cork crew to rest and begin to come to terms with their experience and give them time to call loved ones at greater length.

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A huge crowd gathered on the pontoon, cheering and clapping as Qingdao, flying a string of Irish tricolours as well as their huge Chinese battle flag, arrived at Nongsa Point Marina this morning. On board was Cork skipper Richie Fearon whose crew were there to greet him following the incident in which their yacht hit a submerged reef in the Java Sea five days ago. Richie stayed with Qingdao to help with the salvage operation while his crew were taken by California and Team Finland to join the rest of the fleet in the marina on Batam, Indonesia.

As he stepped ashore, each of them enveloped in him in a huge hug before they headed off for some quiet time together to reflect on the events of the last week.

Qingdao stayed with Cork for several days, recovering what they could of the crew’s possessions, and skipper, Chris Stanmore-Major, taking over the role of on scene commander from Team Finland skipper, Rob McInally.

As the Qindgao crew rushed to jump fully clothed into the pool, Chris praised his entire team, saying, “As soon as I told the crew that Cork had a problem, their instant thought and desire was to help in any way they could. What we could do was get onto the land to get their kit back and try and retrieve anything from the boat that meant anything to them. So we spent a couple of days doing that and the guys have worked their hearts out. It’s been difficult work, going backwards and forwards in and out of the surf with dinghy loads of personal kit. Someone’s bag may weight five kilos but put five litres of water in it and it’s heavy.

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Valencia Sailing

Russell Coutts talks to Valencia Sailing

The 33rd America’s Cup match is right around the corner and Valencia Sailing had the opportunity to briefly catch up with Russell Coutts, CEO of BMW Oracle. Here is what the legendary kiwi sailor told us.

Valencia Sailing: We have a mere 3 weeks left until the starting gun is fired for the 1st race of the 33rd AC. Do you feel confident?
Russell Coutts: We are ready to race on February 8th. We remain committed to trying to get any rules questions resolved prior to the start of racing so that the winner on the water is the undisputed winner of the America’s Cup.

Valencia Sailing: You launched BOR 90 on Saturday but you stepped a conventional mast and not the hard wing. What is the reason?
Russell Coutts: We are using the conventional rig for our structural load testing prior to the commencement of sailing.

Valencia Sailing: When do you expect to sail her for the first time in Valencia?
Russell Coutts: We plan to sail Tuesday.

Valencia Sailing: Have you made a decision on the crew that will race the Cup?
Russell Coutts: James Spithill is the Skipper and helmsman. Come race day, he will put the best crew on board for the job.

Valencia Sailing: As far as tactics are concerned do you think James Spithill’s exceptional match racing skills will make a difference in prestart or is it going to be a long drag race?
Russell Coutts: Jimmy has done an amazing job with this boat. Unlike traditional Cup programs, we haven’t had two-boat testing so it will be really interesting once we line-up against the competition. I have no doubt Jimmy’s match racing skills will come into play. There is incredible anticipation for that first race. That’s part of the excitement. Neither team knows what’s going to happen. But I think this race will be more about boatspeed than match racing skill. The fastest boat will almost certainly win.

Valencia Sailing: What do you make of Alinghi 5, now that you have seen her sailing 2 days in Valencia? In the following days, when you also train with BOR90 will you try to get close to her and potentially try to assess any differences in performance?
Russell Coutts: Alinghi has some great people on both the design and sailing teams. From what we know, it seems they are well suited to light air conditions. We will assess what we can but our focus is on getting our own boat and team race-ready and to put our best package on the start line on the 8th of February.

Valencia Sailing: Tom Ehman, in the press conference in Zurich, stated that one of your team’s proposals was to postpone the regatta for a month or so and hold it in March. Why?
Russell Coutts: Alinghi has taken a big risk in building its sails in the USA and GGYC has flagged up the issue of CIC for over a year. Constructed in country (CIC) is the DNA of the America’s Cup. It is fundamental to the Deed of Gift – ‘competition between foreign countries’. We have no wish to DSQ Alinghi. If they need more time to build legal sails, we would offer it. It would also make for a better AC33, moving it from a direct clash with the Winter Olympics.

Valencia Sailing: Do you have any explanation to why Alinghi left the negotiation table in Singapore, despite the fact your team had signed an agreement drafted by them?
Russell Coutts: Their representatives telephoned back to Alinghi. They were not given permission to sign the Singapore Agreement.

Valencia Sailing: Ernesto Bertarelli said on Friday that “if Russell Coutts wants to win the America’s Cup in the NY Courts all he has to do is call me and I’ll send it to him”. Have you called him?

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Typhoon Jetfighter and North Again

After a few days of light winds, we’re only just properly clearing the Falkland Islands now. The birds, kelp and shipping that I’ve been seeing a lot of lately is steadily becoming less common as we head out in to the South Atlantic. I’m sure that it can be just as nasty as any ocean, but after looking over all the latest charts, I can’t help being a bit surprised at how small the South Atlantic seems after the never ending Pacific!

The other day while slowly drifting off the coast of the Falklands, I was treated to a flyover from a RAF Typhoon Jetfighter. Even though I was expecting him, I still got quite a fright when he turned up making a pretty amazing noise as I was finishing my breakfast. He did a couple of passes, put a big smile on my face and then took off again. Very cool!

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All-you-can-drink pub offers facing ban

“All-you-can-drink” promotions could be banned and compulsory identity checks introduced under government proposals to crack down on alcohol abuse.

If the plans for England and Wales are approved, bars will also not be able to hold speed-drinking competitions.

Retailers or publicans in breach of the code could be fined or jailed.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said there was a “duty to act”. The Tories said they would give councils more powers to tackle “problem” bars and clubs.

It is estimated that alcohol abuse kills 40,000 people in England and Wales every year. The government puts the annual cost of drink-related crime and disorder in the UK at between £8bn and £13bn.

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This post is tagged 4 my planet, America’s Cup, Atlantic Riders, BMWOracle, Bugatti Veyron, Cheech & Chong, Cork, Jessica Watson, Key West, Le Maxi Banque Populaire, McLaren F1, Princess 72, russell coutts, scuttlebutt, Trophée Jules Verne, Wing